Jointly organized by SISI and Shanghai North Shipping Service Cluster Construction & Development Office, and operated by the Shanghai Shipbrokers Association (SSA), the “Shipping Broker Cultivation and Development Seminar” was held successfully at the conference room on the first floor of SISI Conference Center on the morning of March 12, 2010.

Chaired by SISI Deputy Secretary-General Li Gang, the seminar invited officials and leaders from Shanghai North Shipping Service Cluster Construction & Development Office in Hongkou District, Shanghai Municipal Transport and Port Authority, Shanghai Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, The Development Research Center of Shanghai Municipal People's Government, and Shanghai International Shipping Center Construction Promotion Group, to explore a series of issues on ,e.g., cultivating and developing shipping brokers in Shanghai and China.

The seminar commenced with a brief introduction by SSA's Deputy Secretary-General Lv Ming, about the prominent role shipping brokers play in the world's shipping markets and the classification of brokers. He said: "Almost all leaders of shipping brokerage enterprises are senior professionals, because capital exerts very little influences on this industry. The power of shipping brokerage enterprises originates largely from individual knowledge, experience and credibility of business leaders and executives. Shanghai is where national talents gather, optimal for shipping broker development."

Mrs Zheng Peihua, Head of China Office of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS), introduced the general development of ICS as well as the education and training programs for ICS members. SSA's Secretary-General Liu Xunliang expressed his opinions on gathering and cultivating shipping brokers. He analyzed the current situation of Shanghai's shipping brokers and concluded: firstly, the top priority for gathering brokerage talents is to comprehensively review, check and revise a variety of existing admittance systems, rather than to strengthen them, so as to simplify the procedure into flexible prior approval and strict post supervision; secondly, the gap between quality-oriented education and practice-oriented education shall be filled up through the establishment of a vocational training and re-education institution; lastly, the government should, based on macro-control, make full use of available resources to direct the industry associations in improving the service proficiency, standardization, integrity and international influence of shipping brokerage industry . He said that the shipping brokerage industry can strengthen self-discipline through the establishment of industry associations, set up training institutions, and cooperate with ICS, so as to improve the professionalism of China's shipping brokers in actual business operations.

After the brief introduction of the statue quo of shipping brokerage industry by SSA members, Deputy Director Ding Yi of Shanghai North Shipping Service Cluster Construction & Development Office, SISI Secretary-General Zhen Hong and other participants conducted extensive exchanges with SSA members on the cultivation and development of shipping brokers.

Subsequently, Ms. Jing Yan from the Guarantee & Coordination Department of Shanghai Municipal Transport and Port Authority and Deputy Director Ding Yi of Shanghai North Shipping Service Cluster Construction & Development Office addressed the seminar. Jing Yan expected Shanghai to attract more shipping talents through lower threshold and integration with the market, etc. According to her, it is imperative for the government to maintain a fair market and encourage self-discipline among non-government sectors. She also expected the enterprises to disclose their needs to the government in order to promote the activities of shipping brokers. Ms. Ding Yi said that the government shall work actively with industry associations to promote the development of the shipping brokerage industry, so as to introduce foreign markets into China, standardize Chinese market and expand the shipping market.

At last, SISI Secretary-General Zhen Hong made a conclusive speech. According to him, SSA was established to promote the construction of the international shipping center. SSA serves the same purpose as the government, i.e., developing a flexible shipping industry integrated with international markets. He added that SISI will continue supporting SSA. The seminar ended amidst warm applause.